Commander Sheperd VS Master Chief

[Carabas]

But gameplay mechanics don't really have a place here, unless the OP demands them (if they did, Adrenaline Rush would be a humungous boost for Soldier Shepard, given I've used it to 'bullet-time' incoming fire from railguns)..

That seems like a seriously unfair fight. All Shep has are game mechanics. He doesn't appear in any other media tie-ins.

You're saying that all we have to compare two video game characters are their cut-scenes?

[Sharpandpointies]

I guess it depends on how Rumbles works now.

Old story - game mechanics were only used if they fit in with the character's presentation in cutscenes, or if there were NOTHING but game mechanics (otherwise we get stuff like Tifa spinning a multi-thousand ton pyramid on her pinkie while leaping into the air).

New story - I view things similarly to the above. Cutscene stuff/story-based events trump game mechanics. Preferable to use cutscenes. And have a look at mechanics if they make sense. How the BOARD views it, I don't know, I'm not in video game debates often. :)

As for other tie-ins, well...unless noted in the OP, 'primary canon' stuff still applies, and prepare for endless arguments over what constitutes primary canon. Old board? It was the original media, that's pretty much all. So unless the OP specified in the first post that 'MC gets his novelization stuff', no, he didn't. That, again, was the old board. Now? Don't know.

Shepard has some pretty good stuff in the cutscenes/interrupts as well, if one digs. They're not MC level - Shepard dies in re-entry (even without the punctured suit), she doesn't walk it off. But they're pretty good.

[Carabas]

Shepard has some pretty good stuff in the cutscenes/interrupts as well, if one digs. They're not MC level - Shepard dies in re-entry (even without the punctured suit), she doesn't walk it off. But they're pretty good.

Shep did survive a direct hit from a capital class Reaper's main weapon. Which is... silly.

The re-entry stuff is more about which of these two universes has the better tech anyway.
Didn't the Master Chief get prep for his re-entry feat, and was wearing gear designed to do that, while Shep was just wearing his regular stuff when he got ambushed?

[Basara]

That seems like a seriously unfair fight. All Shep has are game mechanics. He doesn't appear in any other media tie-ins.

It is an unfair fight. Master Chief is faster, stronger, and more durable than Sheppard. That's the point we've been making.

You're saying that all we have to compare two video game characters are their cut-scenes?

Nope, we're comparing Sheppard's cut scenes to Master Chief's cut scenes and his books. This is the sum of evidence we have on both characters.

It's up to you to come up with a tactic that does not involve forcing Master Chief to fight like an imbecile to give Sheppard a chance to win.

It's not out of character for Shepard. Shepard wasn't stupid. Paragons could just as happily do Renegade interrupts because it was the smart thing to do under the circumstances.

What you say is true. Paragon's are by nature more of negotiators, while renegade's are more of doing whatever it takes to make sure the job gets done. Basically, paragons are Picards while renegades are Kirks and Sheridans. Picard certainly is capable of taking renegade action to protect his crew if the situation warrants it.

But in the case of that is being presented, that Sheppard would engage Master Chief in conversation so that Sheppard can cheap shot him like he is Han Solo shooting Greedo under the table is something a paragon like Picard would likely never do because it's duplicitous. A paragon would try to reason first with his opponent and then when the opponent makes his move, cut off his arm in self defense, like Obi Wan Kenobi.

[Sharpandpointies]

Shep did survive a direct hit from a capital class Reaper's main weapon. Which is... silly.

Agreed; we're well into SMvsFL territory. Especially since it was Harbinger, who is an exceptionally big and nasty one.

The re-entry stuff is more about which of these two universes has the better tech anyway.
Didn't the Master Chief get prep for his re-entry feat, and was wearing gear designed to do that, while Shep was just wearing his regular stuff when he got ambushed?

Apparently both times MC wasn't wearing anything more than his regular stuff.

I've never seen the second one, but the one from Halo III is certainly him just...getting screwed and ending up re-entering. It puts him out for a while, but that's more because his suit automatically goes on lockup to help protect him. When the lockup ends, he's just dandy.

[Carabas]

Apparently both times MC wasn't wearing anything more than his regular stuff.

I've never seen the second one, but the one from Halo III is certainly him just...getting screwed and ending up re-entering. It puts him out for a while, but that's more because his suit automatically goes on lockup to help protect him. When the lockup ends, he's just dandy.

It still comes down to gear, and not about which of these two guys is the most inhherently tough.

[Sharpandpointies]

Sure.

Thing is, the Chief comes automatically with his current armor (which is ridiculous) and has his 'customary' speed. Outside of Adrenaline Rush or Biotic Charge, Shepard can't match the speed and the armor is...ridonkulous.

Give Shepard a Cain, maybe, and Adrenaline Rush so he can pop one directly into a charging MC's face, well. But the Cain isn't exactly standard equipment (okay, it was for MY Shepard, but it's one option of many in ME II :)).

For me, based on 'normal' equipment the Chief seems to have an advantage (based on the armor and the 'normal' speed, assuming we're using novelizations and/or cutscenes from games I've not played that might demonstrate something of the sort - ie, everything after Halo III). I'd be curious to see the loadout for the thread, though.

[Postmania]

Or this happens:

*Cutscene*

Crowd, clearly fans of Cmdr. Sheppard, start singing just a few seconds before the match starts: "You can fight like a krogan, you can run like a leopard, but you'll never be better..."

Match starts. *BLAM!*

Cortana: "Huh. I didn't think you could shut 70,000 people up like that with a single shot."

MC: *gun barrel smoking* "It's just as well. I didn't want that silly song stuck in my head anyway. Just in case."

*BLAM! BLAM!"

MC: "Rule number 2: Double Tap."

Cortana: "How do you even know about that movie?"

MC: "Movie?"

Cutscene does not mean Master Chief is going to act differently than he normally does in the arena. The renegade interrupt will never come into play.

Besides, doing some research, I found that Cmdr. Sheppard was played as a paragon 2/3 of the time by all players. Wouldn't default setting for Sheppard would be paragon, not renegade?

Even Paragon Shepards used Renegade Interrupts (it wasn't exclusive to Renegades).

I know mine did, and mine was pretty Paragon. Still, some situations felt deserving of a bullet.

...or shoving someone out of a window two hundred floors above ground.

[Garrus] Well, I guess he had it coming.

But gameplay mechanics don't really have a place here, unless the OP demands them (if they did, Adrenaline Rush would be a humungous boost for Soldier Shepard, given I've used it to 'bullet-time' incoming fire from railguns)..

Wow, I didn't expect you guys to actually debate Cutscene!Shep.

Twas a joke. There's nothing Shep can really do here barring extenuating circumstances.

Also I have no idea what movie that is.

[Sharpandpointies]

Was for fun, and to correct misunderstandings regarding Renegade Interrupts with Paragon characters. :)

NOT because I feel that's a viable method for winning, here. I don't. ^_^

[Anarchist]

I think the Miracle of Sound needs to rework their song.
Their is indeed somebody better than Commander Shepard

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

The re-entry stuff is more about which of these two universes has the better tech anyway.
Didn't the Master Chief get prep for his re-entry feat, and was wearing gear designed to do that, while Shep was just wearing his regular stuff when he got ambushed?

Apparently both times MC wasn't wearing anything more than his regular stuff.

I've never seen the second one, but the one from Halo III is certainly him just...getting screwed and ending up re-entering. It puts him out for a while, but that's more because his suit automatically goes on lockup to help protect him. When the lockup ends, he's just dandy.

I posted it up near the top of the thread (3rd or 4th post). Basically he's in the wreckage of the space ship he went into cryo in back at the end of Halo 3; that's been pulled into the 'gravity well' of an artificial planet. He get's KO'ed by a large chunk of "space ship that's being torn apart by the stress", and enters the atmosphere. Does the fireball bit, hits the ground full speed, wakes up under debris which he throws off with one hand. Armor doesn't lock up, and he's otherwise no worse for wear.

It still comes down to gear, and not about which of these two guys is the most inhherently tough.

Well ... Chief has the equivalent of adamantium bones (from his universe at least), and without the physical changes he was forced to undergo, using his armor would kill him.. They tested the first suit on a standard human, once. Just lifting the arm up shattered every bone in his arm, which then caused him to jerk in pain, which then caused him to keep shattering bones. Which ultimately ended about as well as you'd expect.

For me, based on 'normal' equipment the Chief seems to have an advantage (based on the armor and the 'normal' speed, assuming we're using novelizations and/or cutscenes from games I've not played that might demonstrate something of the sort - ie, everything after Halo III). I'd be curious to see the loadout for the thread, though.

Mm, without the novels to support, Chief would be slower. But his major durability feats (falling from really really high up twice, 'falling' onto a moving space ship headfirst, various crash landings in various ships, multiple explosions... ) come from the games. As far as weapons though, it's usually an assault rilfe/battle rifle (full auto/three-burst) the cutscenes regardless of what you're kitted with, always show one or the other.. With a pistol and a couple fragmentation grenades.

[Sharpandpointies]

I posted it up near the top of the thread (3rd or 4th post). Basically he's in the wreckage of the space ship he went into cryo in back at the end of Halo 3; that's been pulled into the 'gravity well' of an artificial planet. He get's KO'ed by a large chunk of "space ship that's being torn apart by the stress", and enters the atmosphere. Does the fireball bit, hits the ground full speed, wakes up under debris which he throws off with one hand. Armor doesn't lock up, and he's otherwise no worse for wear.

Good stuff. Kind of what I figured.

Shepard, by contrast, was shredded by re-entry.

Mm, without the novels to support, Chief would be slower. But his major durability feats (falling from really really high up twice, 'falling' onto a moving space ship headfirst, various crash landings in various ships, multiple explosions... ) come from the games. As far as weapons though, it's usually an assault rilfe/battle rifle (full auto/three-burst) the cutscenes regardless of what you're kitted with, always show one or the other.. With a pistol and a couple fragmentation grenades.

Shepard - game depending - comes with better base weaponry, but doesn't have anything approximating the Chief's durability and physical oomph.

However, from the sound of Chief's weaponry, her shield won't just crap out immediately.

Urgh.

Hilarious. I'll let others argue it out. :D I'm just not familiar enough with the Chief's capabilities, how his weaponry stacks up to real-world (Ie, current, which would be a joke to Shepard's shields) stuff, etc.

[Guy1]

Even Paragon Shepards used Renegade Interrupts (it wasn't exclusive to Renegades).

Paragon Til Death

[Kuro]

Assuming we give Shepard his/her stronger classes as well as spot gameplay mechanics, how would he do against a chief sporting his higher end gear? Also, starting weaponry, I guess , can be their default assault rifle, pistol and maybe a grenade or two. They can wonder around the facility to pick up higher end gear thoughm

[Sharpandpointies]

Man, Shepard's default stuff sucks. :( No, seriously.

Halo is a game where you get 'more options' for weapons as the game goes along - not necessarily 'better' ones, but MORE. So you can change tactics and the like. The stuff you get at the start of the game is still viable for use at the end.

At least that's how I remember it. Cripes, in HALO you started with the bloody pistol, the most overpowered weapon in the game. I was clearing Legendary Difficulty with that as my primary weapon.

Mass Effect is, at its core, an RPG. Shooter mechanics, but an RPG. The weapons and equipment with which you start the game...SUCK. Comparatively speaking. They usually get replaced post-haste by better stuff as you move through the game. In every game. In Mass Effect I, the difference between your starting guns and Spectre Gear (engame stuff) is insane. In Mass Effect II, the stuff one gets later on in the game isn't as enormously better than the stuff at the start, but there's a big difference. In Mass Effect III, it's about the same as II, with even more variety and specialized stuff to choose from (ie, against the Chief - if he's not superfast and you have Infiltrator Gameplay Mechanics - you'd probably want an Arc Pistol with Disruptor Ammo to strip away his shield, then a Widow or Javelin with AP mods and AP Ammo to try to blow a big freaking hole through him and his armor).

...although the starting Sniper Rifle in Mass Effect III isn't all that bad. Not fantastic, but not utterly horrid. :)

Anyway, the above isn't to say 'Shepard wins!' or anything, just a comment on starting weaponry.